How to clean a water heater

Hear is a list of possible causes for running out of hot water.

• Water temperature is set too low. Increase the temperature to approximately 125-130 F.
• Reduced the water flow when the water filter or fixture aerator are clogged.
• If there is a plumbing crossover, cold water is mixing with the hot water. One of the reasons for the plumbing crossover is if the single-lever mixing valve was installed, and it failed.
• Gas valve does not provide enough pressure; either due to the low gas pressure or if it is not open fully. Is the gas line sized correctly?
• Sediment and limescale build-up inside the heat exchanger. You might want to use the descaling procedure and flush all the deposits. The scale deposits act as an insulator preventing the heat exchanger to transfer the heat to water.
• Is venting system clean of the debris and does it provide enough fresh air for proper combustion?

Hard water deposits from the water heater in the supply lines to the faucets. Sounds like your water heater needs to be cleaned out -- not just drained of water. You need to get inside and clear out the deposits in the bottom of the tank. You also need to remove the hot water supply lines to your faucets and see of you can get the lines to run free from the deposits -AFTER you clean out the water heater. Remove the drain -put on a 3/4 in. ball valve for the drain and a hose bibb on that - you can hook up a 5/8 - or 3/4 inch hose to get the particles out of the drain of the water tank. You may have to blow back the water line, from the faucets, the hot water lines- to get the deposits out of the water lines. You also may have to blow out the faucets with the water line disconnected to clear the calcium out of the hot side of the faucet.

More information is needed about type of water heater.
Copy following links:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Troubleshoot-Rheem-Tankless-water-heater.html#de-lime

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Not enough information on type of heater.
If you have tankless water heater, I doubt that a heater with that amount of crud will operate again. Let us know what happens.

If you have tank-type, then pull the element out.
If it breaks off, it breaks off.
Then use shop vac to clean out the sediment.
Loose parts left inside the tank can bang around, but you will replace the heater in a few years anyway, and you have to remove the bad element or replace the heater today.

Open following link for illustrations:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html

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If you have not done so already then turn thermostats up to 140 degrees. You may also try to drain and flush tank to clean out any mineral deposits that could be hurting your effiency. To do this shut off electrical power to heater then connect garden hose to drain valve on the bottom of tank. Run hose to floor drain or other safe area and open drain valve. If it drains good with the water on then let it flush for a couple of mins. then shut incoming water supply off. Let tank drain as far as it will. You may need to open a faucet on the hot side of nearby fixture to break vacumn.
Drain it completly then close drain valve and hot side of faucet.Turn water supply back on and let tank refill. Do this 2-3 times to get inside of tank as clean as possible. Hope this helps you and thanks. P.S. You may need to replace thermostat also.

You posted under electric water heater.

1) Gas or electric, the noise is from sediment build-up inside tank.
Once sediment builds up, the only way to solve problem is to clean the tank out.

2) To restore full efficiency to electric water heater and stop the noise, clean the tank:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html
3) To clean gas water heater is more difficult and less successful:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html

4) To prevent sediment problem, flush water heater each 6 months before sediment can build up.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html#flushelectric

5) Other things to know for water heater maintenance.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Replace-anode-rod.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/9-ways-to-save-with-water-heater.html

Yes, use vinegar. The best way is to shut off the water and electricity. Use a bucket with a quart or two of vinegar. Get an inexpensive submersible pump used for small water features or aquariums. Find the correct connections to be able to run from the pump to the "in" side of the heater, and then from the "out" (or hot) side run a nother hose that wil dump straight into the bucket. Turn on the pump and it will circulate the vinegar through the system and clean all the deposits. This should actually be done every 6 months or so, but the manufacturer doesnt tell you that because they want you to buy more water heaters. See if this fixes the problem, however, if it has gotten to this point, sometimes it shorts out the electrical and causes damage to the electronics. We will hope for the best but this is how to clean all the deposits out.

There are two water lines connected to water heater.
One is marked Hot and the other Cold.
The shut off valve is on the Cold line.

To eliminate sand and dirt from entering your water heater, the 'sediment' filter should be installed on Cold line.
Sand and dirt are sometimes called sediment, but this type of sediment is not the same as calcium carbonate sediment that accumulates inside a tank that receives hard water.

When you have hard water, then water heater makes calcium carbonate 'sediment' deposits that accumulate in bottom of tank. A 'sediment' filter will not prevent this problem.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Clean-sediment-out-of-water-heater.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-clean-sediment-out-of-electric-water-heater.html

If you have hard water, to prevent calcium carbonate from forming inside tank, you need a water softener.
Water softener will prevent calcium carbonate sediment forming inside tank.
However water softener will shorten life of water heater anode rod.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Replace-anode-rod.html

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It may have mineral deposit buildup on the inside. You will need to consult your maintenance manual to see how to flush the unit and clear it of deposits. You can also contact Insinkerator for the information as well. You can use vinegar to clean it just like you would a coffee pot. Take the inlet supply off and using a funnel pour the vinegar in and turn the unit on.

I would recommend a simple sediment filter housing be installed on the main water line coming into the house. Material cost about $100. Have a plumber install a bypass loop so you can just shut off 2 valves when you need to change it. I always install one with any tankless heater as cheap insurance against such a problem. As far as adding something to clean the lines I would refer to the manufacturer's instructions and use only what they recommend in order to preserve your warranty. For a solar water heater I prefer Velux.

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